There is a growing societal problem of kidnappers and car-jackers in addition to robberies and assaults. There have been numerous instances where children were abducted in broad daylight while their parents were placing items into the trunk of their cars or the back of their vans. When they finished loading their parcels into the car or van trunk, they turned around and discovered that their children were gone. There have also been reports of kidnappings and assaults of adults who were placing items in the trunk of their cars, or removing something out of the trunk of their car, and did not observe a stranger or drunkard approaching from behind who could pose a safety hazard.
Criminologists generally agree that one of the most under-appreciated crime prevention techniques is simply to remain alert to your surroundings. The main objective is to avoid becoming distracted or preoccupied and to make quick eye contact with those around you, conveying the message that you are aware and mindful of their presence.
Although there are numerous descriptions of mirrors mounted on the side or interior of a vehicle, these are all intended for utilization by the individual seated in the driver""s seat, positioned primarily to allow the driver to observe traffic behind their vehicle. Examples of these mirrors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,595; 4,964,712; 5,488,515; and 5,084,785.
As can be understood from the above, there remains a need for persons to be able to view the area behind them where they are working or conducting activities at the rear of a vehicle.
The subject invention pertains to materials and methods that provide a person (user) standing or loading items into the trunk of a car or rear of a van, or conducting other activities at the rear of the vehicle, the opportunity to observe the area immediately to the rear and rear sides of the vehicle while the user is facing generally toward the front of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a mirror or other reflective material is adapted for mounting inside a trunk or rear of a van to permit a user to observe behind them at the same time that they are facing toward the open trunk or van hatchback. Another embodiment provides a trunk or van hatch with a mirror or other reflective material incorporated into the trunk or hatch so as to allow the user to observe behind them.
By allowing for a person to conduct activities at the rear of the vehicle in a confident manner, it decreases the likelihood of the person being a target of criminal activity. When a stranger is spotted in the mirror approaching from behind, the user of the present invention may turn around for a face-to-face confrontation or take other actions or precautions as the situation warrants. This would likely deter a sneak-up attack since the appearance of a would-be offender has already been determined. The would-be criminal may choose to move on if the element of surprise is eliminated.